Automated attendants (also referred to as merely auto attendants or auto-attendants) allow callers to obtain information via recorded messages or to be transferred to an extension without the intervention of an operator. Typically, automated attendants provide a menu system in which users are informed about the available menu options via recorded messages and which allow users to make selections via corresponding input via the numeric keypad of their wired or wireless telephone. For example, “for English, press 1,for French, press 2”, etc. The depression of numeric keys in the keypad generates dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) commands. Selections via the numeric keypad generate DTMF tones which are interpreted by a DTMF decoder of the automated attendant system.
There is no standard format for automated attendant menu systems. Accordingly, unless users are familiar with a particular automated attendant menu system, users are required to listen to various recorded messages to determine the menu options, and then make their selection. However, mobile communication devices having a touchscreen typically do not have a fixed numeric keypad nor is a virtual numeric keypad displayed on the touchscreen during a telephone call. When interacting with automated attendant systems, device users have to lower the device from their ear to view the touchscreen display and navigate through onscreen menus to invoke the numeric keypad and display it on the touchscreen display. By the time the device user has invoked the numeric keypad on the touchscreen display, one or more menu options could have been announced already. If so, the user must play the menu options again. Even after the numeric keypad is displayed on the touchscreen display, selecting a menu option requires device users to again lower the device from their ear to view the touchscreen display and make the appropriate selection and/or activation input.
In view of the above, there remains a need for an improved method and mobile communication device for generating DTMF commands on a mobile communication device having a touchscreen.
Like reference numerals are used in the drawings to denote like elements and features.